In the face of escalating environmental challenges such as biodiversity loss, climate change, and deforestation, it is imperative to redefine our relationship with nature. A radical shift in education could be the tool to tackle these crises, moving beyond a utilitarian view of nature to one that connects deeply with our identity.
Through nature-based and place-based learning, we can create a sustainable future where humans recognize our interconnectedness with the natural world and actively participate in its regeneration.
Both approaches acknowledge nature as the core of the learning process. Place-based education emphasizes the importance of understanding and caring for the land, the natural world, and non-human life—perspectives often overlooked by anthropocentric education systems.
Similarly, nature-based education integrates nature into every facet of learning, offering practical responses to the urgent need for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and biodiversity conservation.
The View of Indigenous Peoples About Education
Indigenous communities have a long history of practicing sustainable ways of living rooted in their natural surroundings. Their livelihoods and production systems are guided by principles of interdependence, reciprocity, and caretaking, in contrast to the approaches of Western cultures, which prioritize exploitation over sustainability.
These communities are at the forefront of this transformation and carry values and practices that offer invaluable insights into sustainable living.
Hence, integrating Indigenous knowledge into formal education systems can lead to a more holistic and effective approach to environmental education. Their knowledge is critical to supporting adaptive capacity, resilience, and sustainability.
Despite playing a vital role in protecting the planet, Indigenous communities have been adversely affected by poor-quality Western education, which has disconnected them from their roots and ancestral wisdom. They have been deprived of the education they deserve.
By embracing a transdisciplinary approach that integrates local knowledge with global perspectives, we can empower young people in frontline communities to confront environmental challenges with greater determination and cultural pride.
This is our goal for the Forest School program that we have established in the Mushullakta community located in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
Place-based education
For Indigenous youth, place-based learning is crucial for preserving and strengthening their connection to their territories. Unlike traditional education models that often focus on global issues while neglecting local contexts, this educational approach prioritizes the unique realities and challenges of their local communities.
Consequently, it helps students develop a strong sense of belonging and encourages them to address the specific environmental issues faced in their territories.
Place-based education goes beyond the classroom. Family members, elders, and community leaders are crucial in transmitting ancestral knowledge.
Through active participation in their environment—whether gathering materials for artistic activities, cultivating crops, or participating in ancestral rituals—young people learn directly from the land, building a deep understanding of environmental stewardship.
In Mushullakta and other communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon, Guayusa Upina is a tradition that brings the community together in the early morning to drink a hot infusion made from guayusa tree leaves. This ancestral ritual allows the youth to connect with their ancestors, learn about local history, and embrace their cultural roots while gaining the wisdom to become the future leaders of these activities.
Local perspectives, which see landscapes as webs of interdependence, are crucial for building adaptive capacity and resilience to climate change and biodiversity loss.
Nature-based education
Nature-based education provides transformative learning experiences beyond traditional academic knowledge by involving students in natural environments. This approach fosters a strong emotional connection to the environment, encouraging students to see it as a crucial part of their identity.
As a result, young learners can develop a strong sense of responsibility towards the environment, nurturing a conservation ethic and a deep understanding of how to address activities that harm natural ecosystems.
Connecting with nature encourages students to develop empathy for all living systems and promotes a transition to regenerative cultures and societies that prioritize the restoration and care of ecosystems.
Reclaiming Education for a Regenerative Future
The current education systems, have contributed to the environmental crisis we face by treating nature as a commodity to be exploited. A radical shift is needed to tackle the climate crisis and biodiversity loss.
This shift will inspire a new generation of environmental stewards and provide students with the knowledge and skills to develop environmental solutions appropriate to local realities. Education must be an alternative that emphasizes empathy, reciprocity, and interconnectedness.
This is especially important for Indigenous youth, who often struggle to balance their cultural identity with the pressures of a globalized world.
When young people leave their communities in pursuit of education, they frequently face a disconnect from their cultural roots, which can weaken their relationship with their Indigenous language, traditions, and values.
By ensuring access to high-quality education within their communities, we can help prevent this disconnection.
An education that intertwines diverse worldviews with traditional practices empowers Indigenous youth to emerge as leaders in environmental conservation and as guardians of their territories. The time for change is now.
The photos are all from the Mushullakta community and the Forest School.
The Forest School is the empowering initiative through which Mushullakta, an Ecuadorian Amazon Rainforest Indigenous community, takes control of its formal education. This innovative program ensures that their children have access to enriching, high-quality education without having to leave their homes and communities. Fundación Pachaysana, an NGO in Ecuador, oversees the program, along with the Humans for Abundance program.
References:
IUCN (2023). Nature-based Education for Planetary Health. Technical brief UNFCCC COP 28.
Hohenthal & Veintie (2024). Fostering Indigenous young people's socio-environmental consciousness through place-based learning in Ecuadorian Amazon. Globalizaitons 21:2, 349-369
Nature-based Solutions Initiative. Empowering Indigenous People and local communities with NbS.
Riamit K. O. Nature-based Solutions: A Synopsis of Indigenous People's Experiences, Gaps in Practice and Potential Actions. Lessons from Regional Case Studies: Africa, Latin America and Asia. Climate and Land Use Alliance.
Vogel B., Yumagulova L., McBean G., Charles Norris K. A. (2022). Indigenous-Led Nature-Based Solutions for the Climate Crisis: Insights from Canada. Sustainability14, 6725